The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-01-07

cred them. I am no longer a dupe.
was fool enough to think you"
"Johp, for Gods sake tell me what
this meansp'
''Oh, Mildredi Mildred!'' said he,
breaking down utterly. "Why did you
not tell me like an honest woman that
you loved some one else?"
''John, you know. L"
"StOpr' said he. ''Stop! do not stain
your soul with more falsehood."
"You need not have married me, y
went on the wretched man. ''God
knows wish you had not
She tried TO put her arms about him
as he paced to and fro in rapid strides,
but he pushed her away angrily. '.No,
no more of that. That has lost its
charm"
Mildred burst into tears.
at never-Wohld- have believed
you would cruel" sobbed
she, ''What-have done?'
s'Done?" shouted the exasperated
man, hdone? Why, you have spoiled
the life of an honest man, who dotted
on you, believed in you-lil1e a trusting
fool-whO would have risked his life on
your honesty"
"Stop," said Mildred, and she gath
cred herself up to fuller height than
Johns eyes had ever before beheld in
her. She too was angry now.
IF you have charges to make de-
mand that they be definite, and not in
base innuendO. You are very cruel and
also very insulting to me. l shall not
remain in the house tonight; nor re-
turn to it until you have apologized. "
And she swept from the room and from
Johns astOnished sight
A moment later he heard the messen-
ger call, then heard his wife give all
order for a cab, then saw her packing a
handbag. He intended doing the same
things himself. But somehow having
her do them was infinitely harder to
bear. Mildred was very angry. mot
a thing Of his, - she said to herself as she
stripped off her rings and gathered her
trinkets. my purse, too, she thought,
and went to the desk to find it. Her
husband had been watching for this.
He knew she would try to secure that
letter.
"Ah," said he, ''you are little toe
late. You should have thought of that
before"
These, to his unmeaning words, ut
tered with much concentrated bitter
ness, made her seriously doubt his
sanity. She looked at him curiously.
How else could she construe this in
comprehensive fury? The thought had
Gained her resentment. She went to
his side, placed her hand kindly on his
arm. ''My dear John" said she, ''will
you explain to me what all this
means?n
He felt touched, and oh, how he
longed to take her to his heart; but that
could never be again.
"Will you first explain to me-" he
answered, trying to be hard and cold;
''explain to me where you were yes
terday?'
Certainly he is mad,' she thought,
and she tried to be very calm.
"Ah, yes" he went on. "You can
look very innocent, but, woman, look
at that" and with tragic gesture he
held up the paper.
Mildred looked att bewildered; when
she read, Dear Frank" a CLEAN of
light first came into her face, and grad
ually deepened into an expression of
interest and amusement She under
stood it al. John looked to see her
crushed, despairing and penitent; and
instead he witnessed this unaccus-
toned, this extraordinary change, and
laughter-peal after peal of sIlvery
laughter-rang through the rooms.
She tried to speak, but could not John
in his turn began to think that she was
mad.
At last, with tears rolling down her
cheeks, not from grief this time, she
said:
ooh, you dear silly-silly thing. Oh,
you dear goose-that's my story-and I
was going to surprise you-and bring
you ever-ever so much money-and
now you have gone-and spoiled"
and here she began to cry in earnest.
you-have-s said such cruel
cruel"
Her sobs, together with Johns great
my angel, my angel, have been such
a brute. Can you forgive me?'
That was what John said; but this
pen refuses to attempt the portrayal OF
what he felt He had been a willing
and a loving slave before, and now he
was in addition penitent and crest
fallen one besides. And so his chains
were riveted anew. As limited before,
John had professional character quite
distinct from his domestic one. This
duality affords much needed outlet to
perturbed spirits; hence as he turned
towards his office the next morning an
ominously stern look came into his face.
The unfortunate whose first book he
reviewed that day never suspected that
the savage criticism which very nearly
threw him into a nervous fever, and
quite into despair, was almost entirely
inspired by the misadventures just re-
lated.-N Y. Graphic.